New leader elected for city council's Labour opposition

A NEW leader for the Labour group on Sheffield Council has been elected to replace former leader Jan Wilson, who died from cancer last month.

Coun Wilson had stepped down from her position as leader in July because of her illness, and Coun Julie Dore has now taken her place.

The Arbourthorne councillor beat former deputy Labour leaders Bryan Lodge and Harry Harpham, as well as long-standing Cabinet member Mick Rooney, to secure the position during a Town Hall meeting on Tuesday night.

Coun Dore said: “It is a great honour to follow Jan Wilson as Sheffield’s new Labour group leader. She was an inspirational leader and will certainly be a hard act to follow.

“I’m very excited to be leader because this is a very important time for Sheffield Council. Nationally, we have a right-wing Government imposing cuts at an alarming rate. Not only are the Con-Dems’ policies regressive, but they’re setting in motion the longest, deepest sustained period of cuts since the Second World War.

“The Con-Dems are slashing jobs and axeing public services here in Sheffield and the Liberal Democrat council is following orders without a fuss or a fight.

“Labour are listening to local people and they’re not happy about this. Someone has to stand up for Sheffield. That’s where we come in.”

The Liberal Democrat leader of Sheffield Council, Paul Scriven, said he hoped to set up a regular meeting with Coun Dore to work together for the good of the city.

He added: “I would like to congratulate Julie on her election. Unfortunately we haven't had a culture of political parties working together in Sheffield, but I'm hopeful that this will change now that we have a new Labour group leader.

“I want a new era in which Labour and the Liberal Democrats can come together on issues in the interests of the city.

“I have written to Julie to offer a regular meeting to discuss just this. Whilst we can work together on some issues, clearly there will be differences on some. I hope that Labour will finally drop their favoured areas policy.”

Coun Bryan Lodge has also been confirmed as the new deputy leader of the Labour group.